Blood reserves are currently below the minimum threshold needed to ensure that hospitals have adequate supplies over the coming weeks. There is a particularly urgent need for A-negative and O-negative blood.
Lionel Ferrant, deputy director of the Blood Transfusion Centre, explains that current reserves would last just eight days under normal hospital operating conditions. The centre is therefore on alert and is urging people to come forward and donate blood.
The Red Cross issued an appeal for blood donations just over a week ago as supplies began running low. When blood reserves fall, the consequences can be serious for patients who depend on blood transfusions.
Asked why the public had not been urged to donate sooner, the deputy director explained that the centre had already considered this question. However, it also wanted to avoid creating unnecessary panic by issuing constant warnings, meaning a careful balance had to be struck.
For this reason, the centre decided to set the alert threshold at eight days' worth of supplies.
There are several explanations for the current situation.
Among them is the hot summer, which resulted in fewer people visiting the Blood Transfusion Centre. Even after the summer holidays, fewer donors returned than usual.
Seasonal infections, including colds, influenza and Covid, have also contributed to the shortage.
However, many people have already responded to last week's appeal, something the centre is naturally very pleased about, Ferrant stressed on Friday morning.
Among those visiting the centre were regular donors who have been giving blood for years, as well as some first-time donors who had decided to come forward after hearing the Red Cross appeal.
The Red Cross currently has 15,000 registered blood donors. Its goal is to recruit an additional 1,500 donors every year.
According to the deputy director of the Blood Transfusion Centre, anyone who is in good health and aged between 18 and 65 is potentially eligible to donate blood.
However, donors must meet a number of criteria, as ensuring the quality and safety of donated blood is extremely important.
The Red Cross has therefore developed an online questionnaire to help people determine whether they are eligible to donate.
Further information is available on the Red Cross blood donation website.
